Hood
by Rhiannon Blume Freeman
Summary: An absolutely beautiful story, all finished already, that I would like you to read. In general, it's about a boy and a girl who meet, and the bad guy is stealing away all the people, and...oh, just read it, please.
1. Chapter 1

Daniel walked through Sherwood Forest, running his fingers along the thick tree trunks, among which Robin Hood and his merry band had been rumored to live.  The legend had died many centuries ago, if he had ever lived at all.

Daniel shrugged.  He didn't generally believe in that sort of thing, but then again there was something magical about the massive trees and their emerald green carpet and ceiling, capped by a massive sapphire expanse.  One could believe anything here.

He walked further into the forest and came across a small glade.  In the center of the glade was an ancient grandfather tree, a tree that dwarfed all others.  As he advanced towards it, he noticed something carved a short ways up the trunk.  As he squinted and reached forward, the world turned upside-down.  When it righted itself, he was standing in front of the same tree, but there was nothing carved into it, and there was a good deal more sunlight filtering through the canopy.  As he stood there, something thudded out of the tree in front of him.

Daniel almost fell over backwards, but there was suddenly someone there to catch him.  Once he was steady, the two people began prodding him along until he succumbed and began walking out of the glade.

As he was moving hastily along, he noticed people dressed all in Lincoln green, excepting soft brown leather boots and a stripe of browns of varying shades down one shoulder of a green tunic, emerging from the woods and following him on silent feet.  This formed an odd procession of him crashing through the underbrush escorted by innumerable silent green-and-brown-clad wraiths.

After some time, Daniel and his escort of noiseless Lincoln green came into another clearing, this one slightly larger.  The crowd, rather large by this point, diffused into the woods until only a token force remained visible.

In the middle of the clearing was a stand of trees arranged around a small spring, around which were piled rocks.  Next to the pool formed by the spring, at a makeshift desk, sat a person dressed as the wraiths in all Lincoln green, with an almost-black stripe down the shoulder.

"Robin Hood?!"  Daniel exclaimed incredulously.  

The person looked up from the scratching at the desk and made a face at him.  

She, for it was in fact a she, swept her hat off her head and allowed masses of dark brown curls tumble down her back.  "As if!"  She retorted.

She started mumbling about pretentious idiots coming to the forest looking for Robin Hood to save them, and how they were always disappointed when they happened upon _her _camp instead of _his_ etc.

Daniel shook his head, bewildered.

"Steph," one of the women that had come in with Daniel said gently. "Give him a chance."

She made a face.  "Oh, fine," she grumbled.  "My title is Rowan Hood," she announced with a glare over her shoulder.  "Stephanie to my closest friends.  You and this was punctuated with narrowed eyes, "are _not_ one of my closest friends.  Therefore you may call me Rowan Hood, or simply Rowan."

"Yes, ma'am," Daniel muttered darkly, not liking not being liked.

"Now, Hannah will get you some decent clothes, Annie and Laria will tend to weapons outfitting and training, Eva to your lessons-"

"But I already know how to read and write and all," protested Daniel.

"No doubt Eva will find something for you to do," muttered Rowan, rolling her eyes, "Megan will take down your picture for future reference, and see Anna Kate if you need anything else.  I'll be around, and if you have any problems with anyone, see me.  Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am."  Daniel turned to Hannah first, as Rowan sat down at her desk and resumed scratching at her parchment.

*          *          *

Six hours, one clothes fitting, one portrait sitting, one school lesson and one unbearably long beating disguised as a weapons training later, Daniel staggered back to the glade. Totally exhausted, he searched for Anna Kate to find out where he was supposed to sleep.  She issued him a sleeping fur and told him to pick a piece of ground.  He wandered off into the woods and came across a clearing, just large enough for him to lie down in, and he flopped onto the fur, asleep before he hit the ground.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning he woke up with a head resting on his stomach. Careful not to disturb to head, he looked down to see whose it was. Dark brown curls fanned out over the head and shoulders of Rowan, tightly wrapped in several multicolored furs, and asleep, looking much less threatening than she had the day before.  
  
Daniel looked at her for a moment. "It's not that cold," he murmured.  
  
"That's what everybody keeps telling me," Rowan said in a crisp voice, eyes still closed, "but it is too. It's the middle of November for crying out loud. Did you know that you have a very comfortable tummy?" She rolled over and propped her chin on her arms, her arms on Daniel's stomach. "You seem to have found my clearing," she stated imperiously. She glanced over at the shadow cast by a small stake driven into the ground. "And if you don't want to be late for your next beating from Annie and Laria, you had better shift yourself." She sat up as Daniel jumped about a foot into the air and ran towards the weapons range.  
  
As he approached, he could hear the dull thunking of wood on wood. He groaned. Annie had impressed upon him the importance of being on time the day before. With a big stick. He gingerly fingered the lump on his head and wondered if she was the type to hit in the same place twice.  
  
Thwack! Daniel hopped up and down on one foot, rubbing his shin. Annie twirled her staff in one hand. "Next time you won't be late, she smirked.  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Annie," said Rowan, emerging from the forest behind Daniel. "It was my fault he was late."  
  
Annie raised one eyebrow at Rowan. Rowan drew herself up proudly to her diminutive height of 5'2". Annie looked at her for a moment; then poked her sharply in one side of her ribs. Rowan squeaked, doubled over and dissolved into giggles.  
  
Annie tossed Daniel a staff. "Wait for Rowan. She's either the worst of us at the staves or the best of us at pretending and taking a beating lying down."  
  
Annie tossed a staff toward Rowan, who straightened up just in time to catch it. She glared at Annie, rubbing her ribcage. Annie smiled an angelic smile and flounced off.  
  
Grumbling, Rowan started a simple pattern, managing to knock Daniel's fingers only a few times. Despite the differences in their heights, they made very good sparring partners, probably because they were both so awful.  
  
After half an hour of non-stop motion, Rowan simply fell over. In less than ten seconds, five of the six girls Daniel had met the day before were at her side.  
  
"Steph, honey, are you all right?" Eva asked worriedly.  
  
"Of course I'm all right, you fools. Annie, don't, it wasn't his-"  
  
Thunk.  
  
"-fault," Rowan finished with a sigh as Annie came up from behind to deliver a hit to the shin of Daniel's she hadn't already bruised.  
  
"Really? Well, that's for the time I didn't catch you," Annie said to a very bruised and dejected Daniel. "Now, what's the matter, Steph?"  
  
Rowan propped herself up on her elbows and eyes the girls gathered around her with disdain. "I got sick of the exercise and decided to lie down. Honestly, you get grazed by one measly arrow and you'd think you were turned to glass the way all of you fuss."  
  
Hannah turned a glare on Rowan. "You could hardly call that being grazed by 'one measly' arrow. You were laid out unconscious for a week. We thought you were going to die."  
  
"And there is absolutely no way we are going to let that happen again, "continued Eva.  
  
"Oh, details, details," Rowan muttered. She held a hand out in Daniel's direction. "Help me up. We're going on a walk. I need to get away from these overprotective geese before I explode."  
  
Daniel helped her to her feet and the pair walked into the forest.  
  
The sextet of girls that had gathered upon Rowan's fall stood watching. "I think she likes him," commented one.  
  
"Steph? Never," retorted another.  
  
"He's nice enough," said yet another.  
  
"Steph with tell us all of her plans in her own time," remarked Eva cryptically. "In the meantime, I've got work I ought to be doing, as do all of you."  
  
Murmurs of assent ran through the group, though no one moved.  
  
"That's what I thought," continued Eva. "Who wants to go spy on Steph and the new kid instead?" she finished brightly. By way of agreement, the group melted into the woods in the same direction the duo had left.  
  
While this exchange was taking place, Rowan and Daniel had wandered a short ways into the forest. Rowan abruptly stopped and cocked her head to one side. She made a face and bounded over to and up the closest tree.  
  
"C'mon up!" she called down to Daniel. "But hurry!" No sooner had he clambered up the tree, then Anna Kate went creeping past.  
  
"Don't move," Rowan hissed to Daniel as she stealthily shifted to be above her friend. Rowan reached into a pouch at her waist and drew out an acorn. Taking careful aim, she threw the acorn and hit Anna Kate on the head.  
  
"Ow!" she exclaimed, rubbing her head and peering up into the tree. "Dumb squirrels." There was a slight rustling as Megan came around from the other side of the tree, just in time to hear the comment.  
  
"Dumb squirrels?" she questioned slowly. Just then, she too was targeted by Rowan in the tree above.  
  
"Yes," replied Anna Kate primly. "Dumb squirrels."  
  
Rowan giggled, betraying her position. Both victims below glanced sharply upward. Knowing the game was up, Rowan dropped out of the tree, grinning in an insane fashion. "'Ello!"  
  
Megan, hands on hips, faced Rowan. "You Meanie! Why are you throwing acorns at us?!"  
  
"Meanie yourself! All six of you were ganging up on Daniel and me to spy on us!"  
  
"She has a point," Hannah commented, coming around the tree.  
  
"Yeah, well.." Replied Eva, coming from yet another direction.  
  
"'Yeah, well' yourself," grumbled Rowan. "Now will you all go away so I can have a decent talk with the newest member of our tribe!" She yelled, gesturing wildly into the tree, where Daniel was still perched.  
  
Just then, an arrow with white fletching whizzed past Rowan's upraised hand and embedded itself in the tree directly below Daniel's foot. All froze, but no more followed. Rowan examined the shaft and pulled off a sheet of parchment.  
  
"To Rowan Hood, unlawful resident of Sherwood Forest," read Rowan aloud, grinning at the introduction, though her impish expression quickly faded. "We have captured two of your high court, plus a few others of yours, and are detaining them pending your consent with my request. I look forward to meeting you soon, dearest Rowan. -Robin Hood" 


	3. Chapter 3

Rowan's look turned stormy as she balled the parchment up into her fist and raced into the forest. Daniel climbed down from the tree and watched her receding back until it was lost among the trees. He turned to the remaining members of the band. "Aren't you going to go after her?" he questioned mildly.  
  
"Nope," replied Anna Kate shortly.  
  
"She needs to go burn off some anger," elaborated Hannah. "She'll be back soon enough. And with a load of firewood, to boot."  
  
The dull thud of a blade on wood rang out across the forest as the group turned towards their home camp.  
  
"So what do we do now?" inquired Daniel.  
  
"Whatever you like," replied Megan glumly. "I would suggest you practice weapons - you sorely need it - but neither Nay nor Lari are here to supervise, and you sorely need that, too."  
  
Daniel grimaced, prepared to refute the statement, realized it was true and subsided. When they reached the clearing Rowan's so-called "high court" resided in, Daniel searched out the glade Rowan called home and where he had slept the previous night. He picked up the sleeping furs he had scattered that morning and neatly folded them against the tree in the center of the glade, resolving to find somewhere else to sleep that night. It wasn't right for him to steal the sleeping place of the leader of the camp. She hadn't even given him permission to use her nickname.  
  
He decided to go help Rowan chop wood when he realized he was utterly bored. He hunted up an ax and followed the ringing sounds to where Rowan was furiously hacking at pieces of what once was the trunk of a massive oak. After pausing uncomfortably at an almost palpable barrier between Rowan and the world, he stepped into the vicinity of the flying wood chips. Rowan glanced up for a moment, then turned back to her task.  
  
The pair worked in silence until all the wood was split.  
  
"Feel better?" Daniel asked delicately.  
  
"A little," grumbled Rowan. She shook her head a little, as if to clear it. "So what brings you out here?"  
  
"Looking for you," Daniel replied.  
  
Rowan looked up at him. Silence reigned for a moment. "Coming to make sure I didn't kill myself, no doubt. I bet Hannah sent you. She's always worried when I come out here."  
  
"No. Everybody told me just to hang out until you came back. I got bored, so I came to help you."  
  
"I don't need your help!" Rowan exploded. For the second time that day, she stormed away. Daniel wandered back towards the base camp. Upon seeing the dazed expression on his face, Hannah rolled her eyes skyward and voiced the question Daniel himself was thinking. "What did you do?"  
  
"Honestly? I don't know."  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
"We were just finishing up with the stack of wood, and she says, 'Why did you come out here?' and I say, 'Looking for you,' and she says, 'Yeah, right,' so I say, 'I got bored, so I came out here to help you' and -"  
  
Hannah groaned and put her head in her hands. "Steph, darling, you dolt," she murmured to herself. She looked up. "I'm going to tell her that. You wait right here," she said turning to Daniel; she got up and left.  
  
Several minutes later, Rowan came reluctantly out of the woods, propelled from behind by a glowering Hannah.  
  
"Now, what do you say?" growled Hannah.  
  
"Sorry," muttered Rowan.  
  
"And?"  
  
Rowan heaved a grumpy sigh. "I'm sorry that I snapped at you for wanting to help me. Is that good enough?" she whined, turning to Hannah.  
  
"More or less. Now?"  
  
Silence. "Now.what?"  
  
Glare. "Now, to make up for it."  
  
"Oh! Right. Would you like to see something? Of course you would. Come on." Rowan seized Daniel's hand and dragged him off into the forest.  
  
Hannah dusted her hands of and walked into the camp. She batted a tent flap aside and sank into a cross-legged position.  
  
"Now that we've gotten rid of the two lovebirds, what are we going to do to get Annie and Laria back?" Megan questioned her friends.  
  
"How are we supposed to know? They were always the ones that master-minded this type of thing," Eva retorted.  
  
"They were not. Everyone always had input on the plans. Besides, they've done it often enough in front of us, we ought to be able to copy the method and make it work," Anna Kate offered.  
  
"Well, why don't you start, then," retorted Eva again.  
  
"Okay, let's see. Here's us.and here's Robin's camp," Anna Kate said carefully as she scratched some squares in the dust. "We want to get at Lari and Annie without endangering Rowan."  
  
"One would think the easiest way to do that would be to leave her here," continued Megan, getting into the swing of things.  
  
"As if we could get her to agree to that," snorted Eva.  
  
"And what if Robin realizes we would do that and sends some of his men over here to get at her while we're fighting over there?" queried Hannah, gesturing at the dust-map.  
  
"Hmm." the four subsided into silent thought.  
  
A slow smile spread across Eva's face. "What she doesn't know.won't hurt her."  
  
Megan looked up, puzzled. "But you know she'll find out. She's psychic like that!"  
  
Hannah caught Eva's train of thought and piped up, a wide grin on her face, "She won't if she's distracted. Like she is now?"  
  
Realization dawned on Megan and Anna Kate's faces. They both grinned wide, mischievous grins. "Yes," murmured Anna Kate. "She'll be distracted."  
  
The four bent to their task of planning a deception and escape. 


	4. Chapter 4

Rowan had dragged Daniel at breakneck pace through the woods, finally halting abruptly on a precipice overlooking a breath-taking waterfall. She put her palms together in front of her, and then drew them apart. "Inner peace," she murmured, inhaling deeply.  
  
"So, what do you think?" she chirruped brightly, after a second, turning to Daniel.  
  
"It's.stunning," he replied.  
  
Deigning that a suitable answer, Rowan plopped down on a large flat rock nearby. "Have a seat. I'm sure you have plenty of questions by now, and I'm ready to answer them. I think."  
  
Daniel carefully sat down in the indicated spot. "Hmm. Should I really ask?"  
  
Rowan glared at him. "Yes, you should ask. At least, you should ask if you don't intend upon asking if you should ask rather than just asking, because that would make me mad, and then you would never get the questions I know you have answered."  
  
Daniel blinked. "Okay. First off, and no offense by this, but why are you the leader of this tribe?"  
  
Rowan sighed. "I don't know. I've wondered that many times myself, but they picked me. I don't really do anything around here but wear the title 'Rowan Hood.' Everybody else does all the work. Keeping the books and interacting with Robin, even though that is annoying, isn't really working, not worth-a-whole-job kind of work, and that's all I do around here."  
  
"Interesting. Why does this Robin Hood upset you so much?"  
  
"He's the leader of the real band of thieves in this forest. He is a year older and commands a bunch more people than I command do, I'll give him that, but he's a stuck up egotistical prat about it.  
  
"Traditionally, Rowan and Robin Hood work together to protect the poor around here, but lately Robin is taking over more and more of my territory, and he's offering to give it back to me, but at a price. It was hard enough to ignore that, but now he's kidnapped Lari and Annie as if they were my property!"  
  
"What's the price?" Daniel asked gently.  
  
Rowan buried her face in her hands. "It doesn't matter any more."  
  
"Rowan."  
  
"Stephanie."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You can't use that tone with me without my name. So use it. Stephanie Lee Eva Elizabeth Finnegan. Better known as Rowan Hood, but to all those who admonish me, it's Stephanie." She heaved a sigh of martyrdom. "It's the way it works."  
  
Again, Daniel blinked. "Fine then. Stephanie."  
  
She adopted an angelic smile. "Yes?"  
  
"What's this price?"  
  
"You don't really need to know."  
  
"Now I do."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do too."  
  
"You have to understand that the title of Rowan, or Robin, Hood is passed on from person to person, not necessarily through familial ties. If the current leader dies, their named successor takes the title. Unless, of course they died by the sword of a contender for the title. Then the title goes to, well, the owner of the sword. That's how this current Robin ended up where he is.  
  
"Now, occasionally there is a Robin and Rowan Hood pair that just.clicks. There really isn't more to it than they agree to work and live together, and tell the tree that, and then the whole of the two groups move to Greentree Palace. If one steps down for whatever reason, everything goes back to the way it was, and everyone packs up and moves out.  
  
"The current Robin thinks that since I am a fairly small person, he could dominate me if that ever happened. Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I don't like him. That's all there is to it. He is self-centered and pompous and never listens to anyone else.  
  
"Anyhow, as I was saying, he thinks he could control me and my territory if he could watch over my every move. So, the price of my getting my territory - and now my friends, too - back, is that I agree to work with him all the time - like that'll ever happen - and we all move into Greentree Palace." She sighed and leaned back, forgetting there was no "back" to the rock she was sitting on and thus falling over.  
  
"Aack!" she screeched.  
  
Daniel reached over and picked her up, pulling her over to where he was sitting. He kept an arm around her shoulders, ostensibly to keep her from doing the same thing again.  
  
"So, you said something about Greentree Palace. What's that?"  
  
"It's where Robin and Rowan traditionally rule from."  
  
"I got that much, but why is it important?"  
  
"It is a palace, really cool, too, but neither Rowan nor Robin are allowed to live there without the other. We're only allowed there to reference the library. And if we try to stay there overnight, weird things start happening."  
  
"Hmm. You said something about 'telling the tree' that you were going to move into the palace?"  
  
"Presumably it's the tree Greentree Palace is built around that makes those weird things happen, and it has to know what is going on for Rowan and Robin to live in the palace."  
  
"Hmm."  
  
"Is that everything you wanted to know?"  
  
"For now."  
  
The pair sat in silence for a little while, enjoying the peace, the view, and each other's presence.  
  
"Time to go back?" Daniel inquired.  
  
"If you really want to," muttered Stephanie.  
  
"People might be wondering where we are," Daniel sensibly replied.  
  
Stephanie heaved a great sigh. "I suppose."  
  
They arrived a few minutes later to a carefully orchestrated chaos.  
  
Eva looked up from a stack of arrows she was checking. "Shit!" she exclaimed. She hurried over, started babbling at Rowan, as the latter seemed to grow a few inches, and adopted a cold gaze.  
  
"-and we though you'd be busy for a while, and we weren't going to let you go anyway, so we figured we'd leaved while you were." Eva glanced at Daniel. ".distracted."  
  
Rowan followed the glance and blushed scarlet. "Fine, fine," she muttered. "I really shouldn't be going anyway. You're right."  
  
Eva's mouth dropped open.  
  
"What?" Stephanie asked, spreading her hands to either side.  
  
Eva's mouth worked speechlessly for a few moments. "You.go.said.I.right."  
  
"Hmph," muttered Stephanie. "I'm not that stubborn."  
  
Eva just looked at her and shook her head. "Yeah, right, honey. Just keep on believing that. I have things to do." With that, she turned and dove back into the chaos.  
  
Stephanie hunched her shoulders, muttering to herself.  
  
"Well, what do you want to do?" asked Daniel.  
  
"Wait," Rowan replied shortly, and she melted into the trees in the direction of her clearing.  
  
Daniel shrugged and followed her. At a distance. 


	5. Chapter 5

Precisely twenty-four hours later, they still weren't back.  
  
Rowan was pacing in circles around the small glade she called hers. "Where could they possibly be! They left a full day ago! I never should have let them go alone. I never should have let them go without even the option of capitulation! There's no telling what he might do to them to get back at me!"  
  
Daniel paced at a short distance behind her, having given up on telling her to calm down. She had been like this for hours already, and nothing looked like it was going to change until a few minutes later when a white-fletched arrow much like the one that had brought news of Annie and Laria's misfortune thudded into the great tree around which Rowan was pacing.  
  
She groaned and went to pull the arrow out of the tree. Upon reading the missive, she fainted dead away. Daniel was just close enough to catch her as she fell.  
  
By the time she woke up a few minutes later, Daniel had read the not e and gathered what few travel supplies there were left.  
  
"Wha - what happened? What's going on?" she asked groggily.  
  
"We are going to find someone who can help us get better at fighting before this Robin comes after you," Daniel replied grimly, glancing at the note as he did.  
  
Stephanie followed his gaze and grimaced as memory returned.  
  
The note had stated in simple terms that the rest of Rowan's friends and hangers-on had been captured also, and were being held captive pending Rowan's consent to marry him. If she didn't tie up her deserted camp and show up at Greentree Palace within a month, Robin would come looking for her. Not to mention that one of her band would be executed for every day she was late.  
  
"I know where we can go," Rowan stated, starting to get to her feet.  
  
Daniel was at her side in an instant, steadying her.  
  
She smiled at him gratefully. "It may take a few days to get there on foot, though."  
  
Daniel snorted. "You're not getting anywhere fast on foot."  
  
Rowan's eyes flashed. "Wanna bet?" she challenged. She darted over to the packs, picked one up and shouldered it, snatched up her staff and took off into the woods.  
  
Daniel groaned. "Why does she have to prove everything?" he moaned to himself as he followed the path Rowan had set.  
  
A few minutes later, the path ended. "Stephanie?" Daniel called to the wind. No answer. Visions of yet another capture danced through his head, until.  
  
.she dropped out of a tree on top of him.  
  
The pair collapsed into the loam, Stephanie in hysterical giggles. "Why is it that people never look up?" she shouted to the sky.  
  
Daniel reached over and poked her repeatedly. "Because we only have to worry about you, and you set a panic into us that scares us out of all reason."  
  
Stephanie sat up. "Do not."  
  
"Do too."  
  
"Do not."  
  
"Do too." Daniel picked himself up, and they carried on the friendly and pointless banter as they trudged off in the direction Stephanie set.  
  
At twilight, dark storm clouds rolled in.  
  
"Shoot," muttered Stephanie, examining the sky. "I wanted to do some stargazing." Sighing, she directed her gaze back towards the Earth to look for a shelter.  
  
Daniel, however, was the one who found the small cave just as a bolt of lightning shot across the sky and the sky seemed to split open. The rain came down in torrents as Stephanie dove blindly into the shelter headfirst.  
  
She ducked and rolled, and landed against the back of the cave. "Oof. Bruises! Ow, ow, ow." She muttered, standing up and hitting her head on the low ceiling at the back of the cave. "Shoot!"  
  
With one hand on her head and one hand on her back, Stephanie crawled the short distance to where Daniel sat with his back against the cave wall, looking out at the rain.  
  
Stephanie gingerly sat down beside him, slowly stretching out her legs. "Ow," she said yet again in a small voice. After a few minutes, she began to shiver.  
  
Daniel glanced at her, then wrapped his arms around her. "Better?" he asked quietly.  
  
Stephanie nodded sleepily as she dozed off against his shoulder, a small, sleepy smile on her face. 


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning they woke to more rainy conditions. "Have an apple," offered Stephanie. "It's too rainy to find dry wood, too rainy to start a fire, and too rainy to forage for anything else. But that's what journey rations are for."  
  
"True," commented Daniel. "So do we want to go anywhere in this weather?"  
  
"Well," Stephanie dusted off her hands and peered at the sky. "It doesn't look like it's going to get any worse, and the thunder and lightning has stopped. It's just this infernal steady rain now."  
  
"Okay," remarked Daniel noncommittally.  
  
"We could easily stay here and wait out the rain, but every time I sit down, I start thinking of my friends, so I think we ought to trek onwards, rain or no."  
  
"Fine with me," said Daniel, getting to his feet.  
  
Stephanie glanced at him sideways. "Not much of one for opinions, are you?" she queried.  
  
"I don't give an opinion where it's not wanted, needed or useful."  
  
"Hmph," grumbled Stephanie. She marched into the soft rain. Daniel shook his head and followed.  
  
After a soggy day of trekking through the woods, they came across a small hut. "Thank goodness," muttered Stephanie. She strode up to the door and knocked hard.  
  
"Go away now or risk the wrath of the Witch!"  
  
Daniel took a step back.  
  
Stephanie sighed. "Give it up, Carson. We're wet and cold."  
  
The door opened to reveal a girl about Stephanie's age, draped in a gypsy- like outfit. "Oh! Stephanie. Come on it." She glanced at Daniel and leaned over to Stephanie. "Who's he?"  
  
"A friend."  
  
"Oh." Carson looked at Stephanie for a moment.  
  
"What?!" She asked.  
  
"Nothing, nothing," Carson replied. "So. First thing is to get you in some dry clothes. There is a trunk in the loft that you can use to find something."  
  
"All right. Come on, Daniel. I'll pick something and then find somewhere else to change." Stephanie scurried up the stairs. Just as Daniel got to the top of the staircase, she slammed the trunk and pushed past Daniel, a wide grin on her face and a bundle of cloth already in her arms.  
  
A puzzled look on his face, Daniel lifted the lid of the trunk and began to dig through the clothing.  
  
Half an hour later, Stephanie and Carson were sitting by the fire, sipping tea and laughing uproariously when they realized they hadn't seen Daniel in quite some time.  
  
Stephanie chuckled quietly as Carson called "Daniel! What's the matter?"  
  
"I think it may be a good idea if I just went ahead and went to bed for the night," came the muffled reply.  
  
"No," called Carson, genuinely puzzled. "I am fixing a most wonderful meal, and you must have some."  
  
"No, I don't think so."  
  
"Come down here right now."  
  
"No."  
  
"Am I going to have to send Rowan up there to get you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, then."  
  
"Give me five minutes."  
  
Ten minutes later, Stephanie was turning red from suppressed laughter, and Daniel still hadn't emerged.  
  
"Daniel!" Carson yelled. "Come down here this instant!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"I'll send Rowan up there!"  
  
"Fine then!"  
  
"Rowan!"  
  
Stephanie obediently crawled up the steps. Seconds later, she burst out laughing.  
  
The only things that had been in the trunk were shawls, scarves, skirts and blouses. Daniel was completely at a loss as to what to wear.  
  
"Carson!" Stephanie called, still laughing. "Do you have a needle, thread and pins around here somewhere?"  
  
'Yeah, I think."  
  
"Should I just look for them?"  
  
"No, there's a box around there somewhere."  
  
All the while, Daniel had been standing, still dripping wet, in the middle of a massive pile of the contents of the trunk.  
  
"Come help me find the sewing box," Stephanie implored.  
  
Daniel gave her a doleful look.  
  
Stephanie laughed, and searched by herself.  
  
Once she found the aforementioned box, she modified a skirt into pantaloons, sewed two shawls into a tunic and made one blouse quite a bit less girly.  
  
Stephanie stepped back to admire her handiwork. "Hmm. Not bad. Not bad at all. What do you think of it?" She asked Daniel.  
  
He looked down at himself, arms held out gingerly to his sides. "It's better than anything else, let's say," he replied carefully.  
  
Stephanie snorted. "It must be time to eat by now. I'm famished." She scurried down the stairs.  
  
Daniel followed more carefully. As his food came off the last step, Carson burst out laughing.  
  
"It's not that bad," Daniel grumbled. "It's all your stuff anyway."  
  
"You still look very silly," gasped Carson.  
  
"Well, I think it's time for dinner," said Stephanie briskly, barely managing to hide yet another grin.  
  
After eating Carson's self-proclaimed "Witch's Brew," a concoction of meats, vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts and herbs, the three stayed up for hours, simply talking and laughing.  
  
The next morning, Rowan woke up in the loft where the trunk of women's clothing was located. "Carson? Daniel?" She called. When a brief search of the premises turned up nothing, she picked up a bowl of the leftover brew and nervously began to eat.  
  
Ten minutes later, she was tapping her foot on the floor.  
  
Twenty minutes later, she started tapping her fingers, too.  
  
Half an hour and she got up and began pacing.  
  
Forty-five minutes later found her on the verge of shouldering her bow and quiver and marching out to find Daniel and Carson when they walked through the door, smiling, chatting and getting along famously.  
  
"Good morning," said Rowan tightly.  
  
"Good morning!" Caroled Carson. "How was your breakfast?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes, I just spent a wonderful forty-five minutes not knowing where two of my friends were, when seventy-five percent of them have been captured by Robin! I am enjoying life to the fullest here!"  
  
"Didn't you get my note?" asked Carson, puzzled.  
  
"What note?"  
  
"The note right.here.drat." Carson motioned to a blank piece of parchment sitting on the table. "I meant to write a note."  
  
"So what were you up to anyway?" Asked Rowan.  
  
"Just.talking," Carson said.  
  
Rowan glanced at Daniel, who shrugged his shoulders. "Just talking," he repeated.  
  
Rowan looked at the pair a moment more, then turned away.  
  
"You never did say last night," Carson started. "Why did you come here, of all places?"  
  
Rowan sighed. "I couldn't think of anyone else who knew anything about swords."  
  
"But I don't," protested Carson.  
  
"But your brother does."  
  
"And your point is?"  
  
"I need you to help me get to him so I can ask his help."  
  
Carson stared at Rowan in disbelief. "You're insane."  
  
At this point Daniel piped up. "Why is that insane?"  
  
"Because my brother is a captain in the Sheriff's guard," Caron spat, still looking at Rowan.  
  
".And?" Daniel asked.  
  
Both girls turned to look at him. "You don't know who the Sheriff is?" Rowan asked incredulously.  
  
"No.should I?" Daniel retorted.  
  
"The Sheriff of Nottingham," deadpanned Carson. "The only foe that can actually force Rowan here to work with Robin."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Rowan turned back to Carson. "So, are you going to help me or not?" she snapped, hands on hips.  
  
"Of course I'm going to help you. Everyone would kill me if I let you pull a stunt like last time," Carson stated.  
  
Daniel simply watched as the two girls argued back and forth, wondering all the while what in the world was going on.  
  
"So when can you get us in?" asked Stephanie.  
  
Caron glared at her. "I'm supposed to go visit him this afternoon. Why don't I take him a note and get him to come out here and meet you?"  
  
"That would be just fine."  
  
"Good. There's no way I'm letting you get near the town anyway. Not after last time."  
  
Stephanie stuck her tongue out at Carson, then smiled brightly. "I'll use the parchment you left here to write my note. You go get ready to leave, as you'll no doubt have to go soon."  
  
"Yeah, no doubt," muttered Carson, more than a little miffed wit the way things had turned out.  
  
Stephanie sat down with pen and parchment and scratched out a note to Carson's brother. Before Daniel could read it, she sealed it with a few drops of wax and slipped it into Carson's basket. 


	7. Chapter 7

I got bored with splitting it up, so here is about three chapters in one. Enjoy! Rhiannon Blume Freeman  
  
* * *  
  
A mere half hour later, Carson was gone and Stephanie and Daniel had dragged a pair of chairs into the front yard and were sitting outside enjoying the day.  
  
"So what is this incident Carson kept talking about?" Daniel asked.  
  
Stephanie made a face. "I was sneaking into Nottingham for my fencing lesson with Carson's brother, and the Sheriff set a trap for me and got me with an arrow.  
  
"Luckily I was close enough to cover that no one found me, but it took all my strength to make it as far as here, and then I was incapacitated for several days.  
  
"Everyone keeps reminding me that I just recently got back to my full strength and that I need to 'take it easy 'and 'rest.' Especially Carson; she took it personally because she helped me set up the fencing lessons in the first place."  
  
"Fencing lessons?" Daniel questioned.  
  
"As you might have noticed, I'm rather pathetic with a staff, so when I heard that Carson's brother, who happens to be a sword-fighting champion, had been transferred to a close-by garrison, I made Carson arrange a meeting. I'd always wanted to learn how to fight properly with a sword."  
  
"Okay. What's the plan?"  
  
"William is going to come here and I'm going to brush up on my sword- fighting skills so I can go back to Greentree Palace in three and a half weeks and win my friends back by the sword."  
  
"What if you loose?"  
  
"Then I marry Robin."  
  
"Oh. Where do I fit into all of that?" asked Daniel plaintively.  
  
"Well, you don't."  
  
"But-"  
  
Rowan help up a hand. "I brought you along because you were the only one of my bad left. I didn't want you the get yourself captured too. Besides, I've grown rather fond of you. On the other hand, I couldn't care less what you do with yourself for the time being, so long as you don't end up killed, maimed or captured."  
  
"Gee.thanks," muttered Daniel.  
  
"No problem, replied Stephanie happily. "So, how did you end up where you were when we found you?"  
  
Daniel told her, and hey spent the rest of the afternoon speculating on what happened to bring Daniel to the current place and time.  
  
Just as the sun started to sink lower in the sky, Carson walked up with a man trailing in her wake.  
  
"William!" squealed Stephanie. "I'm so glad you could come! Did you bring it?"  
  
"Of course I did." William swung a log, cloth-wrapped bundle off his back.  
  
Stephanie nearly snatched it our of William's arms, turning pink with excitement. She knelt down and carefully unwrapped the package, pulling out a sword.  
  
It was rather short, as words go, but it had to be to fit Stephanie's diminutive size. The blade was polished to a high shine of silver, and the pommel was finely etched with vines and leaves, and elaborate design containing an RH on one side and an SF on the other.  
  
"Stephanie Finnegan?" Daniel asked.  
  
"That's my name," replied Stephanie. She traced her fingers up and down the sword, oblivious to the world.  
  
As she was held entranced by the weapon in her hands, William slung the other three off his back. One went to Carson, who made a face at her older brother; and he himself kept one. But he also handed one to Daniel.  
  
With a surprised and bewildered expression on his face, Daniel took it.  
  
"Rowan said she had a friend that needed training too, and she sent me your measurements. That ought to be right."  
  
Daniel unfolded the cloth to find a long blade, also of a silver sheen, with a plain hilt. "I thought you said you didn't care what I did," he called to Rowan.  
  
"I lied. William, when can we start?" Rowan asked jumping up, her sword help carefully out in front of her.  
  
"Why don't you put that away and go find some practice sticks for us. We'll start tomorrow morning at dawn."  
  
"Will do. Daniel, wanna come with me?"  
  
"Mmm.sure."  
  
Stephanie wandered into the woods, Daniel trailing behind her. Twenty minutes later, Carson and William heard Stephanie scream in the trees nearby. William had his sword half-drawn and was ready to leap into the brush when Stephanie went storming past him, mumbling under her breath.  
  
"Stupid snakes. What are they doing out this late in the year anyway? And it's not like he helped any," she quipped with venomous undertones in her voice as Daniel emerged, laughing himself silly and touting a large bundle of sticks.  
  
"What happened?" asked Carson as Stephanie slammed the front door.  
  
Gasping for breath, Daniel clarified the situation for Carson and William. "She came close to stepping on a garter snake."  
  
Carson giggled. Stephanie leaned out an upper-story window. "I heard that, and it is not funny!" She slammed the window. Carson, Daniel and William looked at each other silently then burst into gales of laughter.  
  
Stephanie listened to them laughing as she sat mumbling on the bed. "Hmph. They can laugh at me all they want. I'm going to sleep. I'll show them."  
  
She fell asleep even as she rested her head on the pillow, thinking as she did that Daniel had slept in this bed the night before.  
  
* * *  
  
"Stephanie?" Daniel called softly, walking into the room. She lay curled up on the bed, fast asleep. He reached over and brushed a few strands of hair away from her face. He stepped out of the room, quietly closing the door.  
  
Carson walked past at that moment, a slight frown on her face. "Something wrong?" she asked.  
  
"Stephanie's asleep in there," Daniel answered.  
  
Carson's frown deepened. "You'll have to sleep in the other room then, if you don't want to sleep on the floor.  
  
Daniel sighed.  
  
Just then, the door Daniel had just shut swung open. Stephanie stepped out, rubbing her eyes. "No, he won't. I'll move. Good night." She walked off, half asleep.  
  
Carson and Daniel looked at her retreating back for a moment, then shrugged. Daniel disappeared into the room Stephanie had just vacated, and went to sleep.  
  
The next morning, at a half an hour before down, Stephanie woke them all by banging a wooden spoon on Carson's cast-iron cook pot.  
  
"What was that for?!" screamed Carson through a yawn, Daniel emphasizing her words with his own wordless grunt.  
  
Stephanie giggled. "I love you all. You know that, right? Besides, it's time to get up for the fencing lessons!"  
  
"Ngh," commented Daniel, and he and Carson both turned away to their respective rooms. Half an hour later, at dawn, everyone was stumbling around the backyard.  
  
"But I don't want to." whined Carson feebly, as her brother thrust a stick into her hand.  
  
"Tough," he grunted as he put them through a series of drills. Surprisingly, Daniel took well to the sword, despite his exhaustion. By the time the sun was high in the sky, Carson and Stephanie had flopped down in the shade, but Daniel and William were still hacking at each other with the sticks.  
  
Stephanie rolled over and looked at Carson. "This is going to be a long month," she commented.  
  
Carson simply nodded.  
  
* * *  
  
Three hectic weeks later, Rowan woke up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night. Careful not to disturb anyone, she started tot gather her things together. She got dressed in several layers, belted her sword across her back, and packed a bag of rations.  
  
As she softly padded across the great room towards the door, Daniel, on the floor in front of the fire, rolled over in his sleep. Rowan glanced back at him fondly, then rolled her eyes. She hunted up a piece of parchment and a pen. After scribbling a hasty note on the parchment, she laid it next to his head, and after a moment's hesitation kissed him on the cheek and scampered out the door.  
  
For a brief moment, Daniel lifted his head, but then dropped it back to the pillow and went back to sleep.  
  
The next morning, he woke to Carson's screech. "Rowan's gone!"  
  
"What?" he asked groggily. In lifting his head, he noticed the scrap of parchment beside his pillow. Rubbing at his eyes, he glanced over it. "Shit." he murmured.  
  
Carson was running around in circles, tearing at her hair as Daniel struggled to his feet and shoved the note into her hands. "Read that, it explains it," he said. Carson stopped her ranting long enough to read it, then started groaning. What are we going to do?!" She yelled.  
  
Daniel, by this time, was running around, much as Rowan had the night before. With a pack filled with food and extra clothing in one hand and his sword in the other, he replied, "I'm going after her."  
  
Carson squeaked in dismay, and watched Daniel running around, a slightly confused look on her face. The note fell to the floor, forgotten. It read as follows:  
  
Daniel,  
  
I had a dream that made me remember that several people's lives are riding on me getting to Greentree Palace within the next three days. If I can't beat Robin in a duel, I'll give in and marry him. I want you to get away. There is no telling what Robin might do to you. I'll send Annie to find you once everything is settled down. Oh, and take Carson with you.  
  
Thanks so much, Stephanie Rowan Hood  
  
"But." Carson feebly protested. Daniel looked at her, and she subsided.  
  
"You stay here," he ordered.  
  
"But."  
  
"No doubt Rowan will send someone to you to make sure you're okay once she can. Until then, you stay here, or better yet, go into town with William and stay there."  
  
"But."  
  
Daniel glared at her.  
  
"Ngh.fine."  
  
Moments later, Daniel rushed out the door in the same direction Rowan had gone several hours before. As he raced through the forest, he contemplated what he was doing, and hat he though he could do.  
  
He slowed to a walk. What did he think he was doing? Rowan had been trained who knows how much longer with a sword than he had, and she seemed to know what she was doing.  
  
He shook his head, putting all thought aside, and continued trudging after Rowan.  
  
A day later, he came up against a wooden palisade. Frowning, he followed the wall around. At places along the wall every twenty feet or so was a green, painted tree. It didn't take long for Daniel to realize where he was.  
  
He continued walking until he came to a wide dirt path, fifty feet long that disappeared through a large gate in the wall. People were thronging out of the forest at various intervals and through the gate.  
  
Daniel shrugged and joined them. Two men stood on either side of the gate, seeming to check face as people went past. Daniel carefully ducked his head. The men let him pass with no more than a cursory glance.  
  
Not knowing where in the world to start looking for Rowan, Daniel allowed himself to be swept along with the crowd. Lined on either side of the pathway were a handful of buildings. One appeared to be a tavern ad inn, while the rest seemed simply to be barracks.  
  
At the end of the avenue stood a structure that caught and held Daniel's attention. A giant tree stood all alone, and around it had been built a palace of sorts. There was no doubt in this mind that this was Greentree Palace.  
  
A grand staircase swept up to the second floor, ending in a set of double doors. At the bottom of the staircase was a rink, filled with what appeared to be sand. The rest of the palace was more or less a giant tree house, built in and around the central tree. Flimsy-looking catwalks connected separate outbuildings and rooms, perched on and hanging from massive limbs.  
  
Even as he examined the building, a horn blasted and the double front doors swung wide. People jostled past Daniel to ring the sand rink as a man descended the stairs.  
  
He was finely boned, slim, and small in stature, with a rat-like face. He was dressed in a green robe, with a cream tunic and leggings underneath. He gracefully shed the robe and handed it to an attendant, who handed him a sword.  
  
"Robin Hood!" Daniel's breath caught in his throat, willing the announcer not to confirm what he was afraid he already knew. "And today's challenger- " Daniel squinted his eyes shut. "-Rowan Hood!"  
  
"Shit, Stephanie." Daniel whispered as the lady in question appeared at the top of the staircase, dressed much as Robin was and dead pale, though with a determined set to her face. Her sword was clenched in one fist, her hair wound on top of her head.  
  
Despite her apparent apprehension, he gracefully descended the stairs, disdain and condensation written in every movement. She paused and said something to Robin, whose face grew red. Rowan smiled primly as Robin stood there sputtering. She turned to the announcer, and after a brief word, his voice was heard loud and clear over the crowd.  
  
"Everyone gather 'round! This is a duel to decide not only the leadership of both Sherwood tribes, but also the freedom of this young lady, and many of her friends."  
  
Rowan pursed her lips, while Robin nodded smugly. Daniel groaned inwardly and pushed his way to the front of the crowd.  
  
"Should Rowan win, she will be free to choose her own fate, but should she loose.well, you can pick up your wedding invitations on the way out.  
  
Rowan and Daniel simultaneously shuddered.  
  
"Duelists, take your positions!"  
  
Rowan and Robin Hood moved to face each other.  
  
"Fight!"  
  
The crowd exploded as the two came together in deadly combat. Daniel, thanks to his size, had an excellent view of the fight. He could see that although both were evenly matched, Rowan was tiring quickly.  
  
Robin scored the first hit. Daniel winced as red blood blossomed against the cream of Rowan's tunic. Even across the distance between them, he could sense her fear, and he could see her fighting like a cornered animal. She was, after all, gambling with her life.  
  
Nevertheless, Robin scored the last hit as well. In a split second opening, he sliced up and gouged a shallow cut from hip to shoulder, diagonally across Rowan's front. She fell backwards into the sand.  
  
Daniel's shout was lost in the crowd's uproar. As Stephanie was lifted unmoving onto a stretcher, her face too pale, and as Robin turned diffidently to climb the staircase, Daniel stumbled onto the sand rink.  
  
"Wait," he shouted at Robin's retreating back.  
  
The crowd fell silent as Daniel drew his sword and Robin turned to face him. "I'll fight you for the same stakes," he announced "the leadership and her life." He nodded towards Stephanie's limp form being carried into the palace.  
  
Robin looked Daniel up and down, snorted, and replied "You have nothing to loose but your life. I will fight you. Who are you, anyway?"  
  
Daniel thought for a moment, then simply replied "Daniel."  
  
"Well, okay then Daniel. Let us fight."  
  
Right then and there, the duel began. The crowd was hushed, awed by what was happening. The two fought up and down the stairs of the palace, down and across the rink, past the buildings and into the trees.  
  
By this time sweat was pouring down Daniel's face, and he paused a moment behind a tree to wipe it from his eyes. In that split second, his opponent disappeared. For a moment, Daniel panicked, but a fleeting memory passed through his mind. "Why does no one ever look up?" whispered Stephanie's voice.  
  
He jerked his head back just in time to see and sidestep robin jumping out of the foliage above. On and on the battle raged. Finally, with numerous cuts and scratches, the pair fought their way back to the ring.  
  
In transferring from the compacted dirt to the loose sand, Daniel left a small opening in his guard. Moments later a deep slash to his left upper arm was bleeding freely.  
  
Robin smirked. "Guess you're going to loose your life after all, aren't you?"  
  
Daniel looked him straight in the eye for a moment, and, drawing up his last reserves of strength, he bought his sword crashing down on Robin,  
  
Robin's own sword, feebly raised in an attempt to block, shattered tot e hilt. At the last moment, Daniel stopped. In a quiet voice, he spoke to the former Robin Hood.  
  
"I want you to go away. Far away. And if I ever see you anywhere near this place or near Rowan, I will kill you on the spot."  
  
Thomas, as that is what he was called before he was Robin, blanched at the fervor in Daniel's voice and hurriedly agreed to the terms. As soon as Daniel let him up, he staggered off into the woods. 


	8. Chapter 8

Even before Thomas had disappeared, Daniel's vision began to blur at the edges. Before he could think, Annie and Laria were on either side of him, supporting him.  
  
"We can't have you falling all over the place, now can we, Robin?" Annie asked with a gleam in her eye.  
  
"No." agreed Daniel, a little stunned.  
  
"Come one," prompted Laria. "We need to get you fixed up and then you need to address the people."  
  
"I do?" Daniel's brain took some time to get caught up with the rest of him.  
  
"Yeah, you do," retorted Annie. "Come on."  
  
"Wait, where's Stephanie?" Daniel stopped dead in his tracks, searching the faces of the two girls on either side of him.  
  
Laria cast her eyes downward. "She.isn't doing well. We're all worried."  
  
"Where is she?" Repeated Daniel.  
  
Annie studied him for a moment. "In Megan's room. Hers is the closest to the door, and we didn't want to move Stephanie too far. Why don't I find someone else to make that speech?"  
  
The pair of girls led him up the stairs, down a long hallway and across the first bridge; they came too, into a large room. Annie pointed wordlessly to a clump of people around the bed in a corner.  
  
Daniel rushed over as fast as he could without fainting. He pushed past many people in Rowan's high court, many faces tear-streaked. Stephanie herself was lying on the bed, the slight rise and fall of her chest the only fact that betrayed her sustained life. She had a bandage wrapped tight around her middle, and another around her upper arm.  
  
"Shoo, shoo! You people need to give her air so she can recover!" A bustling middle-aged woman with the badge of a healer chased a few of the girls back. "I'm not joking! You need to get some rest as it is. And you! What happened to you?"  
  
Daniel realized she was speaking to him when she set a bowl of water, bandages and slave on the table next to the bed and began to attack the wound on his arm.  
  
"I got hurt in a fight," Daniel replied slowly, wincing from the pain.  
  
"Well, that much is obvious," the healer returned sarcastically. "Who are you anyway?"  
  
Daniel opened his mouth to answer, but Eva cut in. "He's Robin Hood."  
  
The healer blinked at him for a moment, looked at Stephanie, and looked back at him. "Oh," she stated simply, a world of meaning in that one syllable. She continued her work in silence, except to chase more people away.  
  
Hannah and Eva were dispatched to speak to the crowd outside the palace. Annie and Laria were sent to find and retrieve Carson, and Anna Kate and Megan were set to keeping people from overrunning Megan's room. People wanted to see their leaders, and Daniel had not yet shown any sign of leaving Stephanie's side.  
  
After a couple days, Carson, Annie and Laria arrived back and made him get out for a walk in the forest once a day, as much to let the healer change Stephanie's bandages as to get Daniel out of the palace.  
  
A week later Stephanie's eyes fluttered open and came to rest upon Daniel placing a flower on her bedside table. "What in the world do you think you are doing?" she croaked.  
  
Daniel jumped. "You're awake!"  
  
"Yes, I'm awake, but what do you think you're doing here? You're going to get yourself killed!"  
  
Daniel carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and took her hand in his. "I'm not leaving until you do."  
  
Stephanie opened and closed her mouth speechlessly until Hannah walked in. "Good! Someone with sense! Tell this idiot that he has to leave now."  
  
"Hmm.no. Daniel, tell her what happened before she has a fit and dies from worry." Hannah left the room to go tell the others that Stephanie was awake, and not to disturb her and Daniel for a short time.  
  
Daniel helped Stephanie sit up, then started his story with "Well, I got your note."  
  
Half an hour later it became apparent Hannah allowed everyone into the room because everyone came tumbling through the door at once.  
  
"Steph! You're awake!" Screamed Eva.  
  
"Yeah, I am. But not for much longer," Stephanie yawned. "Why am I not in my own room?" She asked plaintively.  
  
Carson adopted an evil grin. "He wouldn't leave you and we needed to keep an eye on him." She glanced at Daniel, who was bright red.  
  
Stephanie blushed and fell back against the pillows. "It's nice to be back," she murmured, and fell asleep.  
  
Everyone carefully crept out, leaving Daniel sitting on the edge of the bed.  
  
It took another week for Stephanie to recover enough to move to her own room, then another week until she was well enough to walk outside.  
  
By this time winter had set in, and the first day she want out she was bundled up so much that she could hardly walk. She waddled down the avenue beside Daniel, muttering to herself. "This is hardly dignified. I can't believe ya'll are making me come out here like this in front of everybody."  
  
"You don't have to be so bundled up," Daniel pointed out.  
  
Stephanie shuddered and pulled her outer robe tighter around her shoulders. "But it's cold!" she protested.  
  
Daniel rolled his eyes. The pair sloshed through the snow for a while in silence. They came upon a small stream, and Stephanie sat down on a log with a sigh.  
  
Daniel sat down beside her. "Everything okay?" he asked gently.  
  
"I never did thank you for coming after me," ventured Stephanie.  
  
"Don't mention it," Daniel replied.  
  
"No, if you wouldn't have come along, well, I don't even want to think about it. It gives me the creeps." Daniel put his arms around her. Stephanie snuggled into his embrace.  
  
"How could I do anything else?" he stated matter-of-factly.  
  
Stephanie looked up. "What?"  
  
"What did you expect me to do? Run away?"  
  
"Well, I told you too."  
  
Daniel looked at her.  
  
"I didn't want you to get hurt."  
  
"And look who got hurt in the end."  
  
"Yeah, well, details, details."  
  
They fell silent.  
  
A few minutes later Stephanie piped up again. "Why did you come after me?"  
  
"Why do you think?"  
  
"Because you were being stupid?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh. Are you going to tell me why?"  
  
"I don't think you need to know."  
  
Stephanie gasped. "Can't you humor the sick child?"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No, not now."  
  
"Oh." Stephanie lapsed into silence again for a few minutes. "How about now?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
A few more minutes passed. "Now?"  
  
"The more you ask, the longer it will be until I tell you."  
  
Again Stephanie gasped, appalled by this new tactic. "You can't do that!"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because.because.just because!"  
  
"'Just because' is not a good reason."  
  
"Can we make it a good reason?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Not even since I'm the weak little invalid?"  
  
"Not even."  
  
"Aww."  
  
Silence reigned for a while.  
  
"We really ought to be getting back," muttered Stephanie with a sigh.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Neither one moved. "This is the worst part," muttered Stephanie. She disentangled herself and stood up. "But we really have to get back."  
  
"Ngh. All right." Daniel stood up too, and took Stephanie's hand in his. The pair slowly trudged back through the snow. 


	9. Epilougue

From that moment on, either one or the other always had something to do at any given time. Even with some creative planning, it was Christmas before they could get away.  
  
Stephanie still had to sneak around to avoid any of her friends or band asking her to do anything. She felt rather silly sneaking around her own palace, but what must be done must be done, she reasoned. She was to meet Daniel at the bottom of the grand staircase at six o'clock. According to his last note, (they had resorted to passing notes to communicate) he had a surprise.  
  
Again bundled up so that she could hardly move, Stephanie stood shivering at the bottom of the staircase. Daniel ran up exactly at six. "So sorry I'm late, had to take care of a few last-minute things."  
  
"Th-th-that's okay. I'm j-j-just about to fr-r-r-reeze. N-n-n-no biggie."  
  
"Sorry. One last thing. I need to blindfold you."  
  
Stephanie glared at hi for a minute. "Fine. J-j-j-just so you get me out of this infernal c-c-c-cold."  
  
Daniel laughed and tied a scarf around her eyes. "Now give me your hand."  
  
Stephanie, still grumbling, obediently held out her hand.  
  
Daniel led down the avenue and out into the snow-covered woods. After a few minutes of walking, they came to a large dead tree, seven or eight feet in diameter.  
  
"Are we almost there?" asked Stephanie.  
  
"Almost," replied Daniel. They walked around the tree and he pulled her through an opening into the hollowed-out middle. A fire was lit in a small fireplace, and the floor was covered with several rugs and pillows. A low table against one wall had two mugs and a large steaming pot of hot chocolate.  
  
"I feel.warmth," commented Stephanie. "Can I open my eyes yet?"  
  
Daniel took a deep breath. "Yeah, you can."  
  
He undid the blindfold, and Stephanie gasped. "How did you find this place?" She exclaimed.  
  
"I just happened upon it one day. Everyone helped hollow it out and design it for you."  
  
Stephanie threw her arms around his neck. "It's a wonderful Christmas present."  
  
Daniel beamed at her. "Hot chocolate?" he asked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
A few minutes later, Stephanie sighed happily. "I think that this has been arguably the best Christmas ever.  
  
Daniel dropped his arm over her shoulders. "Oh really?" he asked.  
  
Stephanie sighed again. "Yup."  
  
"Do you remember a month ago when you asked me why I came after you?" he asked.  
  
Stephanie nodded and looked up at him.  
  
"I came after you because-" he took a deep breath and leaned closer to her. "-I love you."  
  
A smile broke out on Stephanie's face. "I love you too," she whispered.  
  
Daniel closed the distance between them, and he kissed her.  
  
* * *  
  
*Sigh* I love this story. Perhaps because I wrote it, but perhaps also because I was the leading lady. And before you ask, yes all the characters in my story are real, just the situation isn't. *Happy sigh*  
  
I hope you enjoyed my story.  
  
Please humor me and review it!  
  
Merry Christmas! (or Happy Holidays, depending on your views)  
  
Rhiannon Blume Freeman 


End file.
